Improvement in seal-locks



S. J. TUCKER.

SEAL-LOCK.

No.180,965. Patented Aug.8,1876'.

WITNESSES:

'iIVENTOI 2 W RTTIIRNEYS.

N-PETERS. FNOTO-LITHOGRAPNER, WASHINGTON D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIcE.

SYLVESTER J. TUCKER, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN SEAL-LOCKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 180,965, dated August 8, 1876; application filed May 17, l87 6.

1'0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, SYLvEsTER JEFFER- SON TUCKER, of Richmond, in the county of Henrico and State of Virginia, have invented a new and Improved Hasp and Seal for Railroad-(Jars; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

This invention is an improvement in that class of fastenings for. freight-car doors in which a glass plate or seal requires to-be broken, either in case the fastening is tampered with or properly opened.

In the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is an elevation of my improved fastening, showing the manner of its application in practice. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the lock proper, with the top plate of the casing removed. Figs. 3 and 4 are, respectively, top and side views of the end of the pivoted hasp-bar. Fig. 5 is an elevation of the casing in which the lock proper is inclosed.

The bar A is pivoted near its middle to one of the doors B of the car, and is weighted at the end a, carrying loop b, so that it will hang vertical on its pivot, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 1, when disengaged from the lock proper, and thus be out of the way when the doors of the car are being closed. The aforesaid loop b is preferably rectangular in form, and provided with a rabbet, Fig. 2, which forms a socket on the front side suitable to receive the glass plate or seal 0. The upper bar of the loop is notched, at c, on itsinner side, to adapt it to engage with the catch or hook-shaped tumbler C, pivoted within the casing D. A coiled spring, E, acts upon the catch, to hold it engaged with the loop.

When the bar A is turned on its pivot to bring it into horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 2, the loop b first enters the socket of easing D, and the hook engages or looks with the loop, as will bereadily understood. The end of the catch 0 projects below the notched bar of the loop, and is thus visible through the glass plate 0. The latter is accessible through a rectangular opening, 6, in the top plate of the casing D.

When it is desired to unlock the bar A the plate 0 is broken with any convenient or suitable instrument, and the head of catch 0 may then be pressed back to free its shoulder from the loop b. The larger pieces of broken glass will fall out of the socket, and when the hasp is withdrawn from the casing D the smaller pieces or fine particles can be readily removed, and thus leave the socket entirely free, and in condition to receive a new plate.

The left-hand end of the bar A is provided with a hasp or perforated lug, i, to engage with the staple F, which is suitably secured to the door G.

When the doors B G are brought together, and the bar A turned to adjust it in horizontal position, the lug 1i passes down behind, or in rear of, the staple Fsimultaneously with the engagement of the loop b with the catch 0.

In other fastenings of this class the perforated lug passes down on the front side of the staple, and hence a padlock is required to secure the doors together.

In this invention the doors are fastened by the bar A alone; but I purpose employing the common car-pad lock H to lock the bar A to the staple F, the bow of the same passing through the lug '5 and said staple, as shown.

A slotted piece, It, may be hinged to the end of the bar A, to provide for use, when desired, of another form of look now extensively employed on freight-cars.

In order to prevent access to the catch 0, except in the manner above described, and thereby tampering with the look, a rabbetjoint, f, is formed between the lower edge of bar A and the under plate of easing D, and a ledge or rib, g ,isformed on the front side of said bar, as shown. The top plate of easing D is secured by bolts, which pass through the door B, and have nuts screwed on their inner ends. The catch 0 is constructed with a socket, 0, around its pivot, to receive an absorbent of lubricating material.

What I claim is- The pivoted bar A, having notched loop b, carrying a glass plate, and the perforated lug i, in combination with the casing D, the pivoted catch 0, and staple F, substantially as shown and described, to operate as specified.

The above specification of my invention signed by me this 13th day of May, 1876.

SYLVES'IER J. TUCKER.

Witnesses A. W. HART, OHAs. A. PETTIT. 

